This paper examines the development and validation of an updated version of theOrganizational Culture Profile (OCP) (O'Reilly, Chatman & Caldwell 1991). The current study aimed to overcome the limitations associated with the Q-sort methodology used in earlier versions by developing an instrument based on a Likerttype scale and using a large, Australia-wide sample of executives (N = 1918). Confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS (Arbuckle & Wothke 1999) was used to test the theoretically-derived factor structure. The psychometric properties of the seven-factor instrument were examined and provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the OCP. Using confirmatory factor analyses, competing models were specified and assessed according to a range of fit indices. A higher-order model produced the most parsimonious solution and indicated that innovation appeared to play a pivotal role in terms of executive perceptions of organizational culture. The further development of a rigorous instrument to evaluate perceptions of culture should encourage researchers and practitioners to use the instrument for empirical and diagnostic purposes.

Examines the relevance of critical reflection practices in leadership development. The article provides suggestions for incorporating critical reflective practices in a leadership development program. A constructivist approach is adopted from educational literature which advocates using critical lenses to enable students to build on previous experiences of leadership and to incorporate new learning. Reflective processes encourage multiple perspectives to be generated that challenge teachers and future leaders to excel in complex and uncertain environments. Consequently, leadership development and good teaching practices depend on reflection-in-action.

This article reexamines the psychometric properties of the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire. Quantitative data were gathered in a major Australian retail organization resulting in 127 useable responses. A series of one-factor measurement models substantiated the validity of the factors. The study identified a second-order factor structure consisting of Informational and Relational Communication that was empirically superior to competing models. The instrument should make a worthwhile contribution to communication audits and encourage researchers and practitioners to use the instrument for empirical and diagnostic purposes to ultimately improve organizational communication.

This study uses an empirical case study to examine the relationship between flexible work arrangements (whether employees work on a full-time or part-time basis) and one aspect of employee relations, namely communication satisfaction. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from employees in a major Australian retail organisation, resulting in 127 useable responses. The survey included the communication satisfaction questionnaire. Overall, respondents' ratings of communication satisfaction indicated that at best they were only slightly satisfied. Part-time employees were significantly more dissatisfied than full-time employees on four dimensions of communication satisfaction. The study provides evidence that part-time employees are outside mainstream communication in the stores examined. The implications of the results for employee relations are discussed. Future research directions are identified. T h e rese a rch reg is te r fo r th is jo u rn a l is a v a ila b le a t http://www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregisters T h e cu rren t iss u e a n d fu ll tex t a rch iv e o f th is jo u rn a l is a v a ila b le a t http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm Employee Relations 24,2 224 (Kay and Christophel, 1995). Therefore, communication skill development could lead to improvements in employee motivation. Training programs to develop communication skills among all employees should be aligned with the company's strategic vision of providing``excellence in customer service''. The link established between employee communication competence and sales performance (Boorom et al., 1998) suggests that improving employee communication satisfaction may have a flow-on effect for communication with customers. Therefore, well-designed communication training programs should assist in improving customer service. The reported lack of personal feedback suggests that performance management systems should be reviewed. HRM practices should assist supervisors to communicate clear, specific expectations and to give informal, positive and negative feedback frequently. According to White (1996), part-time employees are often excluded from performance management systems and development schemes, which reinforces the perception that part-time employees are not expected to make a long-term commitment. The Employment in Britain survey (White, 1996) found that only 33 per cent of parttime compared to 52 per cent of full-time managers had undergone performance appraisals. Therefore, action should be taken to ensure that part-time employees are included in performance appraisals. The recruitment of tertiary students for part-time positions will continue but HR managers need to develop career paths to attract and retain the staff who are likely to make a long-term, valuable contribution. Such programs would assist in preventing a turnover culture from becoming entrenched (Iverson and Deery, 1997). The results have important implications for managing change as communication appears central to predicting outcomes of planned change efforts (...

This empirical study examines the origins of the romance of leadership from a leader-centric perspective. The impact of Self-Deception and Impression Management on leader perceptions of their leadership was examined to gauge whether leaders hold romantic notions about their leadership. A national survey ( N = 2,376) of business executives was conducted and data were analysed using a multiple-method factor approach. The results indicate that leaders distort their self-attributions to reflect romantic or "idealised" images of leadership. We contend that leaders are motivated to transmit these images through impression management to "woo" followers into constructing romantic images of leadership. Thus, leaders play an active role in the development of the romance of leadership. The study considers the practical and theoretical implications and proposes directions for future research.Cette étude empirique s'intéresse aux origines de la romance du leadership d'un point de vue centré sur le leader. L'impact des illusions sur soi et du management impressionnant sur la perception qu'ont les leaders de leur propre leadership a été pris en compte pour savoir si les leaders adhéraient à des notions romantiques à propos de leur leadership. Les données d'une enquête nationale ( N = 2,376) sur des hommes/femmes d'affaires ont été analysées avec une approche factorielle à méthodes multiples. Les résultats montrent que les leaders distordent leurs auto-attributions pour renvoyer des images romantiques ou idéalisées du leadership. Nous soutenons que les leaders cherchent à transmettre ces images à travers le management impressionnant pour amener les suiveurs à élaborer des images romantiques du leadership. Les leaders jouent donc un rôle actif dans le développement de la romance du leadership. On réfléchit aux conséquences théoriques et

This manuscript provides genome-level analysis of disease resistance genes in four maize lines, including studies of haplotype and resistance gene number as well as selection and recombination. The Rp1 locus of maize is a complex resistance gene (R-gene) cluster that confers race-specific resistance to Puccinia sorghi, the causal agent of common leaf rust. Rp1 NB-LRR disease resistance genes were isolated from two Rp1 haplotypes (HRp1-B and HRp1-M) and two maize inbred lines (B73 and H95). Sixty-one Rp1 genes were isolated from Rp1-B, Rp1-M, B73 and H95 with a PCR-based approach. The four maize lines carried from 12 to 19 Rp1 genes. From 4 to 9 of the identified Rp1 genes were transcribed in the four maize lines. The Rp1 gene nucleotide diversity was higher in HRp1-B and HRp1-M than in B73 and H95. Phylogenic analysis of 69 Rp1 genes revealed that the Rp1 genes maintained in HRp1-B, HRp1-M and H95 are evolving independently of each other, while Rp1 genes in B73 and HRp1-D appear more like each other than they do genes in the other lines. The results also revealed that the analysed Rp1 R-genes were under positive selection in HRp1-M and B73. Intragenic recombination was detected in Rp1 genes maintained in the four maize lines. This demonstrates that a genetic process that has the potential to generate new resistance genes with new specificities is active at the Rp1 locus in the four analysed maize lines and that the new resistance genes may act against newly arising pathogen races that become prevalent in the pathogen population.

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Executive Summary Followership is a critical area for the investigation and comprehension of leadership and yet research in the field is limited and dominated by a few theorists such as Kelley (1992, 1998) and Hollander (1978). This paper investigates the contemporary views on followership and draws on educational research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of followers as learners. Kolb's (1974) Experiential Learning Model (ELM) is used to augment Kelley's (1992) Followership Model to strengthen the theoretical foundations of followership and to provide insight into the relationship between leadership behaviors and follower development. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. The paper argues that viewing followers as learners will provide opportunities to advance our understanding of a neglected area of leadership, and should enable followership to finally come of age.